Buckle mechanism



July 8, 1969 H. G. ALOF'S 3,453,702

' 4 H BUCKLE MECHANISM I Filed Feb. 1, 1968 7 Sheet 1 of a [1 INVENTOR.

y 8, 1969 H- G. ALOFS 3,453,702

' BUCKLE MECHANISM 7 Filed Feb. 1, 1968 Sheet 2 of 3 INVENTOR. 6 68/74 6: ltd/"IT BY W {sham} FIG. 9

July 8, 1969 G. ALOFS 3,453,702

I BUCKLE MECHANISM Filed Feb. 1, 1968 Sheet 5 of s H FIG? 2"; 28 32 e2 HERMAN G. ALOFS ATTORNEYS INVENT OR United States Patent 3,453,702 BUCKLE MECHANISM Herman G. Alofs, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Alofs Manufacturing Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 649,519,

June 28, 1967. This application Feb. 1, 1968, Ser.

Int. Cl. A44b 11/06 US. Cl. 24230 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a releasable closure such as a buckle for a safety belt which can be opened by a rotary or sliding movement of a lever. The invention employs a guiding and retention means for a latch which locks an apertured tongue plate in place over abutments in the base structure. A lever is rotatably mounted on the latch and can be rotated about a point on the base, whereby the latch is pulled into an unlocking position. A relatively strong spring retains the cover in the locking position, A relatively weaker spring biases the latch in the looking so that the tongue can easily force the latch to an unlocked position as the tongue is inserted into the buckle.

This is a continuation-in-partapplication of my earlier filed application entitled, Buckle Mechanism, Ser. No. 649,519, filed June 28, 1967, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the construction of buckles for safety belt and the like, whereby a buckle release can be actuated by sliding and/or by rotational motion of a lever, the lever being attached to a latch member which locks the engaging plate of the belt end into a base structure of the buckle, whereby rotational and/or sliding movement of the latch with respect to the base will slide the latch from locking position.

Construction of buckles for safety belts has been a subject of much interest in recent years. The development of these mechanisms has proceeded along two different lines. One of these provides for release of the buckle by a sliding movement of the handle or cover, and the other by a pivotable movement of the handle or cover. EX- cellent mechanisms can be built along either line, although the slide-type device is more resistant to inertia forces encountered in crash conditions. These forces tend to throw open a pivoted handle, and produce premature release.

The presence of two different types of buckles on the market in quantity produces a problem. The owner of a car equipped with lever action buckle becomes used to a particular disengaging movement. When he finds himself in a car equipped with slide action buckles, the operation is unfamiliar to him. It may require a small degree of ingenuity to operate either buckle if attention is given to it, but the problem becomes acute under emergency conditions. A burning car may require immediate disengagement of the buckle. Human reactions tend to follow habit patterns rather than rational processes under these conditions.

Carter et al., 3,156,025, discloses and claims a belt buckle in which rotational or sliding motion of a handle member slides a cam member from a locking position over an abutment which holds an apertured plate slidably received in the buckle, Although this buckle is quite satisfactory in many respects, it requires a multitude of parts, a great many of which are expensive to make and the composite of which are difficult to assemble.

I have now discovered that a simple, easy to assemble buckle which can be released by rotational or sliding 3,453,702 Patented! July 8, 1969 movement of a cover wherein the cover is directly attached to a sliding latch member which locks an apertnred tongue plate in place, the cover being so attached as to cause sliding of the latch to an unlocking position by rotational and/or sliding motion of the cover. Means are also provided to prevent accidental opening of the buckle.

In buckle mechanisms of this type, a spring biases the latch into the locking position. The spring must be strong so as to maintain the cover down and in the locking position. This same spring must be overcome in order to permit the apertured tongue to be inserted into the buckle. If the spring is strong, as it should be to prevent accidental opening of the buckle, then it is difiicult to insert the tongue plate into locking engagement of the buckle.

I have now discovered that the tongue plate can be easily inserted into the buckle and the buckle can be strongly held in looking position by employing a relatively strong and relatively weak biasing means, the strong biasing means controlling the action of the latch as moved by the cover and the relatively weak biasing means controlling the action of the latch as moved by means other than the cover, such as by insertion of the apertured tongue.

By various aspects of this invention, one or more of the following or other objects can be obtained.

It is an object of this invention to provide a releasable closure which can be opened by sliding and/or rotation of a lever, which closure is simple in construction and easily assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a releasable buckle which can be opened by sliding and/or rotation of a lever wherein opening by accidental pressure on the lever is eifectively prevented.

Other aspects, objects, and the several advantages of this invention are apparent to one skilled in the art from a study of this disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims.

According to the invention, there is provided a safety buckle structure comprising a base having a latch guiding and retaining means and an abutment adapted to receive an apertured tongue plate, a latch slidably receivable in said base structure into a locking and unlocking position, means to bias the latch into a locking position, and a lever rotatably attached to said latch means, the lever being so shaped with relation to the base that rotation and/or sliding of the lever will unlock the buckle.

Preferably, the lever has a means to prevent initial sliding of the latch without lifting the same slightly in order to prevent an inadvertent opening of the buckle.

In one embodiment of the invention the biasing means comprises a relatively strong spring fixed to the cover and the latch for holding the cover in locking position, and a relatively weak spring positioned within the latch for biasing the latch in the closed position so that the latch can be moved to open position relatively easily by insertion of the apertured tongue plate.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of a buckle embdoying the invention and taken along a line I-I of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a view along lines IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the opening of the buckle with the rotation of the lever;

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 1 showing the opening of the buckle by a sliding movement of the lever;

FIG. 5 is a partial view smiliar to FIG. 1 showing a preferred means for attaching a belt end to the buckle;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 showing the component parts thereof;

FIG. 7 is a plan view, partly in section, similar to FIG. 2 of a record embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, taken along lines VIII-VIII of FIG. 7, showing the process of inserting the apertured tongue into the buckle;

FIG. 9 is a partial plan view of the spring mechanism taken along lines IXIX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side view, similar to FIG. 8 showing the opening of the second embodiment buckle by a rotational motion of the cover;

FIG. 11 is a partial plan view of the spring mechanism taken along lines XI-XI of FIG. 10", and

FIG. 12 is a side view similar to FIGS. 8 and 9 showing the opening of the second embodiment buckle by a sliding motion of the cover.

With reference now to the drawings, and to FIGS. 1 through 6 in particular, an apertured tongue plate 2 having a slot for a belt attachment and apertures 3 is slidably received in a base 4 of the buckle. The base has two abutments 14 having a relatively gradually sloping surface 16 and a relatively steep surface 18 for engaging apertures 3 of plate 2.

A latch is slidably received in the base and locks the plate 2 into the buckle when positioned at the left end of the base as shown in the drawings. A locking surface 36 is positioned over the abutment, and when in the position shown in FIG. 1, is rigidly prevented from upward movement by latch retaining means 28, which with side walls 26, are integrally formed with bottom surface 12 of base 4. The latch has a pair of parallel arms which at 40, are positioned beneath tabs 28 to maintain the locking surface 36 in place over the abutments 14. The arms extend inwardly at 42, forming an indented portion 44, and then outwardly to form portions 46. A slot is provided in each of the arms in portions 46 and extending into indented portions 44. A second pair of latch retaining means 32 are positioned in slots 48 to slidably engage the latch 6.

The latch is also provided with a camming surface 38 which extends laterally across the base of the structure next to locking plate 36, but shorter in length than plate 36. A space is provided between the edge of plate 38 and the outer plane of the latch arms. When the latch has been pulled toward the right in the drawings, and rotated upwardly, in a clockwise direction, projections 30 on latch retaining tabs 28 catch plate 36 to limit the extent of rotation thereof.

A biasing means 8 is provided to bias the latch in a position to the left over the abutments as shown in the drawings. The biasing means basically comprises two leaf springs 50 and 56 attached at the central portion to a connecting link 54. Leaf spring 50 has a cut-back portion at 52 at either end for insertion into that portion of slot 48 which is in indented portion 44 of the latch arms. This cut-back portion 52 prevents the biasing means 8 from shifting laterally in the slots 48. Each end of leaf spring 56 is inserted into the right end of slot 48. A lever is provided to actuate the opening of the buckle. Lever 10 has a cover portion 60 with side 62, and is attached to the latch slots 48 at the right ends thereof through rivets 11 which extend through holes 71 in sides 62, and through holes 70 into boss 68. Lever 10 is further provided with a pair of rock point abutments 64 having surfaces 66 which contact the right end of base :12 when the lever is rotated as shown in FIG. 3.

Lever 10 is further provided with an abutment 61, having a surface 63 which abuts against locking tabs 28 when the buckle is in locked position. As can be seen from FIG. 1, a pulling or pushing of the lever 10 to the right, such as might be done inadvertently, will cause surface 63 to abut up against retaining and locking tabs 28 to prevent movement of latch 6. This safety feature prevents inadvertent unlocking of the buckle. Since the normal tendency is to pull up slightly when pulling the lever 10 to the right in an attempt to open the buckle by sliding, the safety feature will not prevent opening of the buckle when it is desirable to do so.

FIG. 5 shows a means for attaching a belt 76 to the buckle portion. The attachment means comprises a slot bar 74 having arms 72 which slide in guides 26 of the base beneath holding bar 20. An aperture 24 and a curved surface 22 is provided in holding bar 20. The combination of the holding bar and the sliding belt attachment 74 is disclosed in US. 3,214,814. An aperture 34 is provided in base 4 so that belt 76 can pass therethrough.

In operation, when it is desirable to open the belt, such as by sliding, the lever 10 is rotated slightly to allow abutment 61 to raise over tabs 28 and the lever is pulled toward the right, as shown in FIG. 4, to free to tongue plate 2.

When it is desirable to open the buckle and release the tongue plate 2, such as by rotation of lever 10, the left end of cover 60 is pulled upwardly, which begins a rotation of lever 10 about pins 111. After a very small rotation, surfaces 66 of rock point abutments 64 will contact the right end of base 4, and the lever will begin to rotate about points 66, thereby pulling latch 6 to the right through rivet 11 against the spring tension of biasing means 8.

The assembly of the buckle is quite simple. Latch 6 is dropped into base member 4, in such a way that tabs 32 are positioned within the recesses of recesssed portions 44 of the latch arms. The latch is slid toward the left, as shown in the drawings, at which time tabs 32 slide into slots 48. The biasing means 8 is then inserted into slots 48, the latch is moved forward slightly, and the lever is riveted onto the buckle, by passing the rivets through the end of slots 48, as shown in FIG. 1. The buckle is then assembled.

The parts of the buckle are economical in construction. The base member 4, the biasing means 8, and the latch 6 can be stamped out of sheet metal such as low carbon steel or aluminum, and the lever 10 can be molded out of a synthetic plastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutene-l, and copolymers thereof, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride, synthetic or natural rubber blends, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 7 through 12, where like numerals have been used to designate like parts, a buckle mechanism is provided the same as that disclosed with relation to FIGS. 1 through 6 except that the biasmg means 8 have been replaced by a relatively weak biasing means 8' and a relatively strong biasing means 80. The terms relatively weak and relatively strong are meant to signify the strength of the two biasing means relative to each other.

The relatively weak biasing means 8' comprises a leaf spring 50' and a leaf spring 56' connected at a central portion by connecting link 54'. The ends of the leaf springs 50' and 56 are inserted into slots 48 as in the biasing means of the first embodiment.

The relatively strong biasing means 80 comprises a relatively strong leaf spring 82, a relatively strong curved leaf spring 86 connected at the central portion through a connecting link 84. The ends of relatively strong leaf springs 82 are positioned in slots 48 between the relatively weak leaf spring 56 and the tabs 32 of base 4. The ends of the relatively strong leaf spring 86 are connected to the ends of pins 11.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the motion of the latch 6 as the aperture plate 2 is inserted into the buckle. As plate 2 is pushed into the buckle, the end pushes against plate 38 of latch 6. This force is opposed by the tension in relatively weak spring 8'. A the aperture plate is forced into the buckle, the latch slides to the right as seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 against the compression of spring 8 whose leaf spring 56' is held by strong leaf spring 82 and tabs 32. After the apertures in tongue plate 2 are seated on the abutments 14, the spring 81 returns the latch to the position shown in FIG. 7, thereby locking the tongue plate within the buckle.

When it is desirable to remove the tongue plate from the buckle, the cover can be rotated or slid. The opening of the buckle by rotational movement of the cover is shown in FIGS. and 11. As the cover is rotated about pins 11, surfaces 66 contact the right end of base 12, thereby pulling pin 11 and latch 6 to the right relative to base 4 as seen in FIGS. 10 and 11. This movement causes tabs 32 to push to the left on leaf springs 82 which thereby resist the pulling motion. Therefore, the movement of the latch to the open position by rotating the cover is biased by a relatively heavy biasing means 80. As has been hereinbefore described, the movement of latch 6 to the right, permits the plate 2 to be removed from the buckle.

The buckle can also be opened by sliding of the cover as shown in FIG.12. The cover is lifted slightly and pulled to the right relative to base 4 as seen in FIG. 10. The pulling of the cover to the right pulls the latch 6 to the right by means of pins 11. With this motion, tabs 32 will push leaf springs 82 to the left as the latch is pulled to the right. In this manner, the relatively strong leaf spring 82 biases the buckle in the closed position against sliding motion of the cover. When opening the buckle by sliding the cover, the springs will be in the same position shown in FIG. 11.

With the second embodiment of the invention, the safety buckle has a strong biasing means to maintain the buckle in the closed position but permits the locking means to be easily opened when the tongue plate is inserted into the buckle. In this manner, the safety buckle is easily latched to the tongue plate, but difficult to inadvertently unlatch. The latching means is strongly held in place until it is desirable to remove the tongue plate from the buckle.

Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.

1. A safety buckle mechanism comprising:

(A) a base having (1) a latch guiding and retaining means and (2) an abutment adapted to receive an apertured tongue plate slidably received in said base;

(B) an integral latch slidably received in said base structure, said latch including a locking surface and being reciprocable between a locking position in which said locking surface is over said abutment to retain a tongue plate thereon and an unlocking position in which said locking surface is away from said abutment to permit removal of said tongue plate;

(C) means to bias said latch into said locking position; and

(D) a lever rotatably attached to said latch and longitudinally movable relative to said base, said lever being so shaped with relation to said base that rotation and/or sliding of said lever will unlock said buckle.

2. A buckle mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said latch guiding and retaining means of (A)(1) comprises:

(a) a first latch retaining means positioned at the top portion of each of said guide means and extending inwardly thereof to maintain said latch means of (B) in locking relationship with said abutment when said latch is in said locking position.

3. A buckle mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said latch means of (B), has a cam surface extending upwardly and away from said base and said cam surface is so positioned as to permit said tongue plate to push said latch means of (B) out of locking position and upis inserted into said buckle.

4. A buckle mechanism according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a second latch retaining means in said base of (A) and means are provided on said latch means of (B) for slidably engaging said second latch means.

5. A buckle mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said lever of (D) is pivotably attached to said latch about an axis of rotation perpendicular to said guide means of (A)=(1)(a) and in a plane parallel to the plane of said bottom surface of said base, said actuating lever further containing at least one rock point abutment on a portion of said lever means extending over and adjacent an edge portion of said bottom surface of said base such that when said lever is rotated about said axis, said rock point abutment will strike said edge portion of said bottom surface, and With further force applied in the same rotational direction, will cause said lever to rotate about said rock point in contact with said front edge portion whereby said latch means will slide to said unlocking position to permit removal of said tongue plate from said buckle.

*6. A buckle mechanism according to claim 5 wherein said lever has a relatively flat portion positioned over said latch and base and serves as a cover for said buckle.

7. A buckle mechanism according to claim 1 wherein there are two abutments in said base, and there are two apertures in said tongue plate.

8. A buckle mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said latch means of (B) comprises a pair of arms extending upwardly from said base and connected to a locking surface positioned next to said base, the top portion of said arms over said locking surface being adjacent to said first latch retaining means when said latch is in locking position, said arms having an indented area intermediate between the ends thereof, each of said arms containing a slot extending from one end opposite said locking surface into said indented area, said second latch retaining means comprising two tabs extending inwardly from said guide means and each tab being positioned in said slot near said one end.

9. A buckle mechanism according to claim 8 wherein said biasing means of (C) comprises two leaf springs, each having an end thereof positioned in a slot of said arms in opposing relationship, the ends of one of said leaf spring abutting said tabs in said one end of said slot, and the ends of the other of said leaf springs being positioned in said slots of said indented area, such that movement of said latch toward unlocking position compresses said leaf springs against said tabs and said end of said slot in said recessed area.

10. A buckle mechanim according to claim 9 wherein said lever of (D) is rotatably attached to said latch means of (B) through at least one pin which is fixed to a side of said lever, said pin being positioned in said one end of said slot of one of said arms adjacent one of said tabs of said second latch retaining means.

11. A buckle mechanism according to claim 9 wherein said first latch retaining means has a projection extending in a direction toward an end of said buckle opposite the end containing said abutment, said projection being engageable with said locking surface when said latch has been pulled into an unlocking position by rotation of said lever.

12. A buckle mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said actuating lever of D) has a means abutting against a portion of said base to prevent sliding of said lever relative to said base without a slight rotation of said lever.

13. A buckle mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said biasing means of (C) comprises a relatively strong biasing means and a relatively weak biasing means, said relatively strong biasing means biasing said lever into locking relationship relative to said latch and said base, and said relatively weak biasing means biasing said latch relative to said base such that said latch can slide relative to said base against the tension of said relatively weak biasing means when said lever is in said locking relationship relative to said base.

14. A safety buckle mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said relatively strong biasing means and said relatively weak biasing means are in super imposed relationship relative to the line of force for opening said latch.

15. A safety buckle mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said relatively weak biasing means comprises a pair of opposing relatively weak leaf springs, the ends of which are positioned within opposing slots in said latch; said relatively strong biasing means comprises relatively strong first and second interconnected leaf springs, said first leaf spring having ends positioned adjacent said ends of one of said relatively weak springs in said opposing slots, said second relatively strong leaf spring being rotatably connected to said lever; said base latch retaining means comprises a pair of tabs extending into said opposed slots adjacent to and abutting against said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,845,676 8/1958 Huber. 3,130,466 4/1964 Carter. 3,156,025 11/ 1964 Carter.

3,237,264 3/1966 Turolla.

FOREIGN PATENTS 920,365 3/1963 Great Britain.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

